America East Baseball News & Notes: Teams are Getting into the Groove

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It was another strong week for the America East Baseball Conference, as both NJIT and Binghamton secured key series victories. Meanwhile, UMass Lowell began a historic West Coast swing by earning a split in a four-game set against the University of San Francisco Dons. With league play right around the corner, teams across the conference are beginning to find their rhythm.

For the second time this spring, an America East member took down an opponent from the A-10. Following Bryant’s earlier series win over Davidson, it was Binghamton’s turn to shine as the Bearcats (5-8) took two of three from the University of Richmond. In the series opener, a three-run seventh inning proved to be the difference. The Bearcats capitalized on a two-out, bases-loaded surge with RBI hits from Grant Hunter and a clutch two-run single by Zack Kent. The bullpen slammed the door, with Aiden Milburn earning the win and Mitchell Jackson picking up his third save in the 5-2 final. After dropping game two, the Bearcats clinched the series with a 4-3 victory in the finale. Steven Kraus, the America East Player of the Week, launched his third home run of the season on a 3-2 pitch to provide a crucial 4-2 lead. Kraus enjoyed a stellar weekend, hitting .364 and slugging .909 with two home runs and three RBIs. Richmond narrowed the gap to one in the eighth, but Mitchell Jackson returned in the ninth to secure his second save of the weekend and fourth of the season. Jackson has now tossed 12 scoreless innings out of the pen this year. Hayden Tarsia went five innings, allowing just one run to earn his first win. Binghamton concluded its season-opening 12-game road trip and celebrated its home opener with a dominant 15-9 win over St. Bonaventure. The Bearcats used scoring outbursts of four runs in the second, four in the fourth, and five in the sixth to overwhelm their second A-10 opponent of the week.

NJIT took full advantage of a struggling St. Peter’s squad over the weekend. On Friday, the Highlanders secured an 8-4 win behind a three-hit performance from right fielder RJ Azarieh. The effort made a winner out of Tate Jones (2-0), who went six innings, allowing five hits and only one earned run while striking out four. After a tough 4-2 loss in extra innings on Saturday, NJIT bounced back to take the rubber match by an identical 8-4 score. A four-run sixth inning broke the game open, highlighted by Austin Francis’s three-run double. Tyler Kim provided stellar relief, throwing three innings of one-hit, shutout baseball with three strikeouts. Sitting at 6-6, NJIT is now one of two teams in the conference at the .500 mark.

The River Hawks (3-7) made their first-ever trip to the West Coast to take on the San Francisco Dons of the West Coast Conference. UMass Lowell showed plenty of fight, winning the middle two games of the four-game series. On Saturday, the offense exploded for 22 hits and 18 runs in a convincing 18-7 victory, scoring in seven of the nine innings. Second baseman Rowan Masses and catcher Nicholas Solorzano each turned in four-hit games. Will Melby (1-0) earned the win in relief after the Dons chased starter Brian Foley in the fifth. On Sunday, a three-run seventh inning propelled UML to a 6-4 win. Masses and Solorzano were once again the catalysts, providing run-producing hits to back winning pitcher Jacob Jette (1-2). Center fielder Carlos Martinez earned his first collegiate save in his first career pitching appearance. The River Hawks have four games remaining on their West Coast trip before returning home.

UMBC (6-6) also picked up a weekend win behind the arm of America East Pitcher of the Week Zach Robinson. Robinson was dominant against UPenn, throwing seven shutout innings with four hits, no walks, and seven strikeouts to move to 1-0. The Retrievers followed that up on Tuesday by run-ruling Mount St. Mary’s in a 20-4 blowout.

Rounding out the weekly honors, Maine first baseman Hunter St. Denis was named America East Rookie of the Week. During the Black Bears’ series at Dayton, St. Denis slashed .400/.500/1.171 with two home runs, a double, and five RBIs. His weekend included a multi-home run performance on Friday and a career-best three-RBI game on Sunday. He is the third Maine player to earn Rookie of the Week honors this season. With the non-conference slate winding down, all eyes now turn to the start of conference play next week.